www.tomatina.com Dough, sauces and dressings made from scratch. Artisan, hand-stretched pizzas. Fresh, seasonal ingredients. Unique menu combinations. Beautiful, airy restaurants. There’s plenty to love about Tomatina, the five-store Bay Area operation based in Alameda. The company is proud of its piadine, a warm-from-the-oven flatbread topped with salad. Part wrap, part sandwich, part pizza, the piadine is indeed unique. No wonder customers on the east side of the Bay can’t get enough!

www.wigandpeneast.com We’re not exactly sure what it means, but we nominate Wig and Pen for the most unique pizzeria name in the nation! The company offers pizza in three different thicknesses, ranging from thin to a Chicago-style stuffed. We’re partial to the Battered Zucchini Sticks and the Breaded Ravioli, but it’s difficult to go wrong with Wig and Pen’s varied menu.

www.myspace.com/abbotspizza Abbot’s touts its New York-style pizza, but it definitely has a California twist. Though it sells slices, its gourmet whole pies are the real conversation starters. The Five Onion pizza (leeks, shallots, red onion, green onion and yellow onion, along with fontina, mozzarella and Romano cheeses and an olive pesto sauce) may not be for everyone, but it has its devotees. For something trendier, Abbot’s offers the Spicy Chicken — a red-sauce pizza featuring marinated chicken with a jalapeño medley.